The present invention relates to compositions, in either liquid or granular form, for use in laundry applications, wherein the compositions comprise certain fabric enhancing components, which can be, for example, a cyclic amine based polymer, oligomer or copolymer material, hydrophobically modified carboxy methyl cellulose and mixtures thereof. Additionally, a contain for such compositions is provided.
It is, of course, well known that alternating cycles of using and laundering fabrics and textiles, such as articles of worn clothing and apparel, will inevitably adversely affect the appearance and integrity of the fabric and textile items so used and laundered. Fabrics and textiles simply wear out over time and with use. Laundering of fabrics and textiles is necessary to remove soils and stains which accumulate therein and thereon during ordinary use. However, the laundering operation itself, over many cycles, can accentuate and contribute to the deterioration of the integrity and the appearance of such fabrics and textiles.
Deterioration of fabric integrity and appearance can manifest itself in several ways. Short fibers are dislodged from woven and knit fabric/textile structures by the mechanical action of laundering. These dislodged fibers may form lint, fuzz or xe2x80x9cpillsxe2x80x9d which are visible on the surface of fabrics and diminish the appearance of newness of the fabric. Further, repeated laundering of fabrics and textiles, especially with bleach-containing laundry products, can remove dye from fabrics and textiles and impart a faded, worn out appearance as a result of diminished color intensity, and in many cases, as a result of changes in hues or shades of color.
Given the foregoing, there is clearly an ongoing need to identify materials which could be added to laundry detergent products that would associate themselves with the fibers of the fabrics and textiles laundered using such detergent products and thereby reduce or minimize the tendency of the laundered fabric/textiles to deteriorate in appearance. Any such detergent product additive material should, of course, be able to benefit fabric appearance and integrity without unduly interfering with the ability of the laundry detergent to perform its fabric cleaning function.
Moreover, there is a need for a container for such products. The container should not only store the composition but it should also convey to the consumer the benefits of this new product.
The present invention is directed to a detergent composition comprising:
a) from about 1% to about 80% by weight of surfactants selected from the group consisting of nonionic, anionic, cationic, amphoteric zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; and
b) from about 0.01% to about 5.0%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 4.0%, by weight of a fabric enhancing component selected from the group consisting of cyclic amine based polymers, oligomers or copolymers, hydrophobically modified cellulosic based polymers or oligomers, and mixtures thereof.
Further, the detergent composition is contained within an interior chamber of a container, the container further comprising an exterior surface wherein the exterior surface contains a description of the composition comprising language selected from the group consisting of: helps clothes look healthier, helps stop wear before it starts, maintains the appearance of clothes, helps prevent clothes from looking worn out, strengthens while it cleans for better looking clothes, strengthens threads so clothes look better, helps prevent clothes from looking worn, helps prevent wear and tear in the washer that can make clothes look old, helps keep clothes from aging, helps clothes come out of the washer looking as good as when they went in, helps preserve the fabric integrity of clothes, strengthens threads from the inside out for better looking clothes, extends the life of clothes, is like a vitamin for clothes, works like an anti-aging product on clothes, is like calcium for clothes, is like a supplement for clothes, after just 10 washes clothes look better than they would if you washed them with other detergents, fortifies threads for healthier looking clothes, helps prevent clothes from looking old before their time, is like stopping time for your clothes so they stay looking good.
The cyclic amine based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials which are suitable for use in laundry operations and provide the desired fabric appearance and integrity benefits can be characterized by the following general formula: 
wherein;
each T is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C12 alkyl, substituted alkyl, C7-C12 alkylaryl, xe2x80x94(CH2)hCOOM, xe2x80x94(CH2)hSO3M, CH2CH(OH)SO3M, xe2x80x94(CH2)hOSO3M, 
wherein W comprises at least one cyclic constituent selected from the group consisting of: 
xe2x80x83in addition to the at least one cyclic constituent, W may also comprise an aliphatic or substituted aliphatic moiety of the general structure; 
each B is independently C1-C12 alkylene, C1-C12 substituted alkylene, C3-C12 alkenylene, C8-C12 dialkylarylene, C8-C12 dialkylarylenediyl, and xe2x80x94(R5O)nR5xe2x80x94;
each D is independently C2-C6 alkylene;
each Q is independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, C1-C18 alkoxy, C2-C18 hydroxyalkoxy, amino, C1-C18 alkylamino, dialkylamino, trialkylamino groups, heterocyclic monoamino groups and diamino groups;
each R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C8 alkyl and C1-C8 hydroxyalkyl;
each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C12 alkylene, C1-C12 alkenylene, xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(OR1)xe2x80x94CH2, C8-C12 alkarylene, C4-C12 dihydroxyalkylene, poly(C2-C4 alkyleneoxy)alkylene, H2CH(OH)CH2OR2OCH2CH(OH)CH2xe2x80x94, and C3-C12 hydrocarbyl moieties;
provided that when R2 is a C3-C12 hydrocarbyl moiety the hydrocarbyl moiety can comprise from about 2 to about 4 branching moieties of the general structure: 
each R3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, R2, C1-C20 hydroxyalkyl, C1-C20 alkyl, substituted alkyl, C6-C11 aryl, substituted aryl, C7-C11alkylaryl, C1-C20 aminoalkyl, xe2x80x94(CH2)hCOOM, xe2x80x94(CH2)hSO3M, CH2CH(OH)SO3M, xe2x80x94(CH2)hOSO3M, 
each R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C22 alkyl, C1-C22 hydroxyalkyl, aryl and C7-C22 alkylaryl;
each R5 is independently selected from the group consisting of C2-C8 alkylene, C2-C8 alkyl substituted alkylene; and
A is a compatible monovalent or di or polyvalent anion;
M is a compatible cation;
b=number necessary to balance the charge;
each x is independently from 3 to about 1000;
each c is independently 0 or 1;
each h is independently from about 1 to about 8;
each q is independently from 0 to about 6;
each n is independently from 1 to about 20;
each r is independently from 0 to about 20; and
each t is independently from 0 to 1.
Cellulosic based polymer or oligomer materials which are suitable for use in laundry operations and provide the desired fabric appearance and integrity benefits can be characterized by the following general formula: 
wherein each R is selected from the group consisting of R2, RC, and 
wherein:
each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C4 alkyl;
each RC is 
wherein each Z is independently selected from the group consisting of M, R2, RC, and RH;
each RH is independently selected from the group consisting of C5-C20 alkyl, C5-C7 cycloalkyl, C7-C20 alkylaryl, C7-C20 arylalkyl, substituted alkyl hydroxyalkyl, C1-C20 alkoxy-2-hydroxyalkyl, C7-C20 aklylaryloxy-2-hydroxyalkyl, (R4)2N-alkyl, (R4)2N-2-hydroxyalkyl, (R4)3N-alkyl, (R4)3N-2-hydroxyalkyl, C6-C12 aryloxy-2-hydroxyalkyl, 
each R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C20 alkyl, C5-C7 cycloalkyl, C7-C20 alkylaryl, C7-C20 arylalkyl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, piperidinoalkyl, morpholinoalkyl, cycloalkylaminoalkyl and hydroxyalkyl;
each R5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C20 alkyl, C5-C 7 cycloalkyl, C7-C20 alkylaryl, C7-C20 arylalkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, (R4)2N-alkyl, and (R4)3N-alkyl;
wherein:
M is a suitable cation selected from the group consisting of Na, K, 1/2Ca, and 1/2Mg;
each x is from 0 to about 5;
each y is from about 1 to about 5; and
provided that:
the Degree of Substitution for group RH is between about 0.001 and 0.1, more preferably between about 0.005 and 0.05, and most preferably between about 0.01 and 0.05;
the Degree of Substitution for group RC wherein Z is H or M is between about 0.2 and 2.0, more preferably between about 0.3 and 1.0, and most preferably between about 0.4 and 0.7;
if any RH bears a positive charge, it is balanced by a suitable anion; and
two R4""s on the same nitrogen can together form a ring structure selected from the group consisting of piperidine and morpholine.
The cyclic amine based polymer, oligomer or copolymer materials defined above can be used, along with the hydrophobically modified cellulosic based polymers or oligomers, as a washing solution additive in either granular or liquid form. Alternatively, they can be admixed to granular detergents, dissolved in liquid detergent compositions or added to a fabric softening composition.
The laundry detergent compositions herein comprise from about 1% to 80% by weight of a detersive surfactant, from about 0.01% to 80% by weight of an organic or inorganic detergency builder and from about 0.01% to 5% by weight of the fabric enhancing component of the present invention. The detersive surfactant and detergency builder materials can be any of those useful in conventional laundry detergent products.
Aqueous solutions of the fabric enhancing component of the subject invention comprise from about 0.01% to 80% by weight of cyclic amine based polymers, oligomers or copolymers, hydrophobically modified cellulosic based polymers or oligomers and mixtures thereof dissolved in water and other ingredients such as stabilizers and pH adjusters.
In its method aspect, the present invention relates to the laundering or treating of fabrics and textiles in aqueous washing or treating solutions formed from effective amounts of the detergent compositions described herein, or formed from the individual components of such compositions. Laundering of fabrics and textiles in such washing solutions, followed by rinsing and drying, imparts fabric appearance benefits to the fabric and textile articles so treated. Such benefits can include improved overall appearance, pill/fuzz reduction, antifading, improved abrasion resistance, and/or enhanced softness.